Theme about the Story “The Last Leaf”
By: O’Henry
“The Last Leaf” is about someone whose illness changed. This person’s name is Johnsy she’s diagnosed with pneumonia. She is always negative about herself. She always watches a vine that outside her window. She watches each leaf fall. She always says that when the last leaf fall she going to go with it. Mr. Buhrman daubs the last leaf on the wall after the real one does. Then he catches pneumonia and dies. I think the most important theme of this story is self sacrifice. I think that’s the theme because Mr. Buhrman risks his life for Johnsy. I consider Mr. Buhrman chivalric because he was brave enough to go out there and paint the leaf on the wall for Johnsy and then gets pneumonia and dies just to lifts Johnsy’s spirits. Sue the care taker of Johnsy doesn’t like when she speaks negatively and doesn’t like it when all she does and wait for that last leaf to fall. She always is solicitously about Johnsy. She does whatever she can to take care of Johnsy.
This theme is important because when Mr. Buhrman paints the leaf on the wall he’s doing it just to give Johnsy hope. He also does it to stop her from thinking negatively about herself and to think positive. Each might Johnsy would look at those leaves and watch them fall one by one. Each time zephyrs came they knocked down leaves. When Mr. Buhrman painted that lea on the wall he did it so she wouldn’t die of negatively and disbelief. What Mr. Buhrman did helped her.
Mr. Buhrman knows how Johnsy is everyday. She is morbid and always looks at that vine. He knew how important that vine was to her. He did whatever he could to keep him alive and give her hope, even if it takes his life. Each time she looked out that window the last leaf would still be there and she would get more hope and would speak more positively about herself. That mean he gave a self sacrifice for Johnsy.
People today would take self sacrifices for someone. Like parent for instance. They would do anything for their children or their loved ones. They would make sure no matter what the kids and loved ones are always secure and well. Kids also care for their brothers or sisters if they have any because if someone was to on your little brother/sister you would take a self sacrifice for them. These are how people make self sacrifices in our time period. Back then they might not have that many people take self sacrifices for other people. When Mr. Buhrman dies Johnsy realizes that this is meant to stop being negative and to give hope because the last leaf will never fall.
I thought what Mr. Buhrman did was very respectful. I thought when he was first introduced in this passage that he was mean but in the end I found out he was a very nice man. This theme was true about everything. He was doing a self sacrifice so that Johnsy wouldn’t die and wouldn’t give up hope. If I was Mr. Buhrman I would have don’t the same thing I always say you come before me. That’s exactly what Mr. Buhrman did. I always do stuff to be respectful to my loved ones and I always do what I need to do to help them. If I ever have to take a self sacrifice I would and I know my love ones would do it for me too. I’m happy that he would do something just to help to keep someone’s hope and beliefs up and not down. I’m also very proud of Sue also takes a self sacrifice for Johnsy. Sue always stays home and does whatever she can to keep very good care of Johnsy she cooks, she stays home, and she doesn’t leave to do something else. She doesn’t ever leave Johnsy. I’m pound of these characters and I hope that someday I could make a self sacrifice and be the one to help someone too.
Plot Structure of The Last Leaf by O’ Henry
Published by TheGeraldE, November 12, 2010
A simple plot structure for a very great short story consisting of five parts.
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Exposition:
Greenwich village is an old town where people enthralled by paintings and art came. At the topmost floor of an squeaky three-story building lived Sue and Johnsy (nickname for Joanna). They met at a restaurant where they found out that they share the same interests when it comes to art and food.
Rising Action:
Six months after Sue and Johnsy started with their joint studio, Johnsy was sick with pneumonia, like others in their town. She had very little chance to live, and Sue was saddened. Johnsy said that if the last leaf on the Ivy vine fell, she would pass away. Sue went on to do an art piece, while she requested Johnsy not to look at what she was painting. She preceded and called Behrmen, Behrmen was an old guy, but after hearing Johnsy’s plan, he was upset. He went on to go to the duo’s room, and did something with the thought of Sue.
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Climax:
After the sun rose, Johnsy saw the ivy vine and no leaf fell. She was shocked, and watched the leaf for a very one time. Finally, Johnsy realized that she had been a bad girl because of that thought. She finally ate food after not eating because she thought that she would pass away already.
Falling Action:
The doctor arrived at their art studio. He said that Johnsy’s condition is improving at a very good rate. However, the doctor said that Behrman is also having difficulty because of pneumonia. He went on to Behrman’s studio and tried to treat him. The next day, the doctor came once again and said to Sue : “She’s out of danger. You won. Nutrition and care now – that’s all.”
Denouement:
While Sue was talking to Johnsy, they went on and talked about Behrman. He died at the hospital ago, despite being ill in a measly two days. The janitor found him in a bad condition, mainly because his clothing were wet and icy cold. They found a lantern beside him, together with equipment for painting. Sue instructed her to look at the window, and ask her why she thinks that the last leaf never fell. It never fell because it was Behrman’s masterpiece, and he painted it the night the last leaf fell.
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1. "At the top of a squatty, three-story brick Sue and Johnsy had their studio. "Johnsy" was familiar for Joanna. One was from Maine; the other from California." The two most important characters of the short story.
2. Mr.Pneumonia. The killer disease which plays so important a role is personified by O.Henry in this short story.
3. "The busy doctor" who treats Joanna and "Old Behrman."
4. and lastly, "Old Behrman was a painter who lived on the ground floor beneath them."
These are the names of the five characters in O. Henry's short story, "The Last Leaf."



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